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Caeleb Dressel ties Michael Phelps’ mark of 7 gold medals at worlds

While Phelps did not have option of swimming mixed relays, 20-year-old American's medal haul in Hungary makes the comparisons inevitable.

Caeleb Dressel claimed his seventh gold medal of the World Aquatics Championships by swimming the butterfly leg for the U.S. men's 4x100-metre medley relay team. (Adam Pretty / GETTY IMAGES)

By Paul NewberryThe Associated Press

Sun., July 30, 2017

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY—Michael Phelps, you have company.

Caeleb Dressel won his seventh gold medal of the world championships Sunday, putting the U.S. team ahead to stay with another dominating swim in the 4x100-metre medley relay.

One night after becoming the first swimmer to win three golds in one night at a major international meet, Dressel joined Phelps in another elite club: seven golds at the second-biggest meet after the Olympics.

Phelps set the record at the 2007 worlds in Melbourne, Australia — a portent of his unprecedented eight golds the following year at the Beijing Olympics.

Dressel matched the feat along the banks of the Danube, emerging as America’s next great swimming star.

The 20-year-old University of Florida student won three individual golds and was part of four winning relay teams.

It was a big night all around for the Americans.

Lilly King set her second individual world record of the meet in the 50 breaststroke, again besting Russian rival Yulia Efimova, then returned as part of the women’s 4x100 medley relay that also broke the world record.

Chase Kalisz completed a sweep of the individual medleys to carry on the tradition of the American dominance, even after Phelps’ retirement and Ryan Lochte not being allowed to compete in Budapest because of his shenanigans at the Rio Olympics.

Kalisz romped to victory in the 400 IM on the heels of his victory in the 200 IM.

The U.S. finished with 18 golds and 38 medals overall — a huge improvement over the previous worlds two years ago in Kazan, where the Americans managed just eight golds and 23 medals.

The home crowd had no complaints, either.

Katinka Hosszu, the “Iron Lady,” finished off her third consecutive 200-400 IM sweep at the championships, to go along with a pair of golds from Brazil last summer.

“Ria! Ria! Hungaria!” the packed house at Duna Arena chanted, as Hosszu celebrated on deck wrapped in her country’s red, white and green flag.

But this meet will be remembered as Dressel’s coming-out party.

He won the 50 and 100 freestyle, and nearly took down Phelps’ world record in the 100 butterfly. Dressel was a beast on the relays, swimming both the free and fly.

Phelps’ feat still stands supreme since five of his seven golds were in individual events, and he didn’t have the benefit of the mixed relays. Dressel won a pair of golds in that relatively new event, which he was quick to point out after his three wins on Saturday.

But the comparisons to the winningest athlete in Olympic history are sure to pick up steam heading into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Dressel swam the fly in the final event of the meet, taking over for the third leg with the Americans facing a slight deficit after world record-holder Adam Peaty pushed Britain ahead on the breaststroke.

No worries.

Dressel surged to the front with a down-and-back time of 49.76 — the only butterfly swimmer to break 50 seconds. Nathan Adrian took over for the freestyle anchor with a comfortable lead, pulling away to win in three minutes, 27.91 seconds. Britain settled for the silver, more than a second behind.

When Adrian touched, Dressel hugged his other teammates, Kevin Cordes and Matt Grevers. As everyone else walked off deck, Dressel lingered a bit, watching a replay of the race on the video board.

It must have seemed more than a little surreal.

To the surprise of no one, Dressel was named the top male swimmer of the meet. The female award when to Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, who capped off a stellar performance of her own with a bit of redemption in the 50 free.

After setting a world record in the semifinals, Sjostrom completed the furious dash from one end of the pool to the other in 23.69 — just two-hundredths off her mark the previous evening.

Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands claimed the silver, while Simone Manuel of the U.S. settled for the bronze.

It was Manuel who knocked off Sjostrom in the 100 free after the Swede went out far too fast on the opening lap and had nothing left for the return. This time, she didn’t have to come back.

Sjostrom set two world records in the meet, also getting credit for a record in the 100 free when she swam a blistering first leg of the 4x100 free relay. She now holds four world records overall including the 50 and 100 fly.

Manuel was feeling a lot better when she anchored the U.S. women to a world record in the 4x100 medley relay. She joined King, Kelsi Worrell and Kathleen Baker in setting a time of 3:51.55, breaking the mark of 3:52.05 that had stood since an American victory at the 2012 London Olympics.

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